Mulberry harbor

Mulberry harbors were temporary portable harbors developed by the British during World War II to facilitate the rapid offloading of cargo onto beaches during Operation Overlord in June 1944. Rather than attempt a direct assault on a German-occupied port to ensure the flow of supplies, the British planners decided to built giant, hollow concrete boxes, tow them to the French coast, and sink them, forming an artificial harbor. The Mulberrys were supplied with fuel by a pipeline unwound from giant reels and dropped on the seabed, running for 100 miles. The pumping station on the Isle of Wight was disguised as an ice cream parlor, protecting it from attack. The Mulberry harbors were extensively used during the invasion of France in June 1944, ferrying reinforcements and supplies to the Allies as they pushed deeper into France.